A Broken Heart Will Always Mend
by bertiebert
Summary: Another human's life was effected when the Autbots touched down on Earth searching for Samuel Witwicky.
1. Chapter 1

**_This story is set in the Bay/Movie-verse except for a few minor changes that were needed to make the story work (it's fiction - I'm allowed to do what I want):  
>1.) Ironhide &amp; Jazz are alive<br>_****_2.) More bots are in the story than in the movies_**

* * *

><p>The shining hallway of the brand new Autobot base was darkened as every 'bot and human on base was asleep. The air was heavy with the silence, but the cool night air made the metal of the walls and floor chill. In the mornings, it took close to an hour to warm the entire base. Soon enough, the silence was pierced by a shrill, keening scream. Several Autobots appeared in the doorways to their quarters. Dino, his red paint still scratched from a scuffle with Sideswipe the previous day, peered down the hallway.<p>

"¿Qué fue eso?" Dino glanced across the hall at Jazz. "What was that?"

Jazz wheezed air out of his intakes in a sigh. "Think it's Emily. The AllSpark fragment left in 'er has been givin' 'er trouble lately."

Dino shifted uneasily. He liked Emily. She was good company and he always loved when she asked him to speak Spanish or complimented his accent. "Should we check on her?"

"Dunno," Jazz replied. "Ratch might have it under control."

Activating his comm link, Jazz let out another sigh. _Ratch?_

His reply was tired. _Yes, Jazz?_

_Is it Emily? Is she alright?_

_Yes, it's Emily. But I'm not sure if she'll be alright. The AllSpark fragment is continuing to pulse. It's hurting her. I may have to attempt to remove it if it doesn't stop. Her body is too fragile to handle the pain and radiation coming from the fragment._

Jazz's newly repaired frame shuddered, giving Dino his silent answer.

* * *

><p>Every Autobot in the base froze when the tiny form limped into the main training room. Emily Witwicky, the fifteen-year-old sister of Sam Witwicky, looked up at the 'bots curiously.<p>

"Is something wrong?" She asked, her voice light and comfortable.

The Autobots became her friends when they touched down on Earth looking for her brother. Just because one of them happened to be Sam's car didn't mean that she couldn't form a bond with them as well. Ironhide was always playful with her, revving his engine when she'd walk by and make her laugh. Even as a robot many times her size he'd tickle her with the cool air that blew out of his intakes. No one on the base thought they'd see the day that Ironhide would play with a teenage human girl. But no one would dare say anything against him in fear they'd lose a few pieces of their frame or—in the worst case scenario—a limb.

"No, nothing is wrong," Optimus replied calmly, ordering his comrades back to their work.

Ratchet followed Emily in, scooping her up in his hand before she could move.

"Hey," she protested, staring the green-ish mech in the face. "Sideswipe was going to let me watch him and Jazz spar."

"Not right now. You need to eat before you can spend any time moving around the base. It won't take long and Sideswipe and Jazz won't go anywhere until you're done," Ratchet told her, letting her down and nudging her on the back toward the human's kitchen. "Go on."

She turned slightly, shot him a glare, and stalked off as best she could in her condition towards the kitchen. As the Autobots continued their previous activities—Ironhide testing a new cannon, Bumblebee helping to train the human soldiers robot battle tactics, and the Wreckers working on another one of their projects—Optimus moved to stand next to Ratchet who watched Emily carefully through the bay window of the kitchen.

"How is she?" Optimus asked, his hands resting on his hips as he too regarded their young charge through the glass.

"Still in pain. I was surprised when she asked to come out here and see all the other 'bots. I was telling Jazz last night that I may be forced to give another attempt at removing the piece of the AllSpark from her. The pain and radiation is getting to be too much for her and everyday is more of a struggle. She may not make it much longer unless I do something."

Optimus's optics dimmed as he continued to watch Emily scarf down a bowl of the human's cereal and quickly set her bowl in the sink, hurrying out to meet Sideswipe. The silver mech kneeled in front of her, letting her climb into his hand, and smiled at her when she was level with his faceplates.

"Ready?" He asked, allowing her time to shift herself to his shoulder.

"Yep," she replied, holding onto the edge of his helm plating.

Each of the Autobots had taken the teenager under their care once it was brought to light that they'd been the cause of her change in lifestyle. She was unable to go to school like a normal teenager and she couldn't travel the country with her parents. She was forced to live with the Autobots and human soldiers in the NEST base to let Ratchet work on a way for her to survive to see sixteen.

Ratchet was the most protective of her, but in a very overprotective, sheltering way. He had to be persuaded to let her out around the base and let other mechs have time alone with her. She would rebel against him, sneaking away and lying to him. They were both too stubborn to spend so much time together, but they were forced to with her condition. Any time out of her room near the medbay was very short as it hurt her and made her very tired very quickly to be up and about the base for any period of time. To keep strain off her fragile body, the 'bots would carry her as much as she'd let them. That alone could extend her time with the mechs by close to an hour.

* * *

><p>Two silver mechs collided on the sparring mat, but it was soon that Jazz had the upper hand. Emily laughed from her spot on an Autobot-sized chair near the mat, clapping excitedly for the smaller mech. Jazz pushed himself up, chuckling, and grinned at the teenager. Sideswipe growled at Jazz from the floor, launching himself at the smaller mech and tackling him to the mat. Emily threw her head back, laughing at the two Autobots, and gave a little cheer for Sideswipe as he pinned Jazz to the mat. The taller mech winked at Emily, giving her a crooked smile. Jazz bucked underneath Sideswipe, but he was stuck.<p>

"Time's up, you three. Emily, Ratchet needs to see you in Medical. I'll take you," Prowl, one of the newer Autobots and a tough, black and white Ford Mustang Police Car, said. His doorwings twitched as they felt the change in atmosphere.

Emily scowled at the Second-in-Command although she knew he was just obeying orders. He was a kind mech and she enjoyed his company, but Ratchet's controlling attitude was getting on her nerves. Silently, she climbed into his hand, letting him deposit her onto his shoulder. She waved to Sideswipe and Jazz as Prowl left the sparring room. She didn't speak to Prowl as he carried her to the med bay, but she did stroke the side of his helm, watching his audios swivel at her touch. This let him know she wasn't angry with him, but the way she bristled when he stepped through the doors to Medical, plainly told him she was very upset with Ratchet.

"What is it now?" She practically spat at the Chief Medical Officer from Prowl's shoulder.

Ratchet turned to her, giving her an equally venomous glare. Prowl felt Emily shift backwards, a bit uneasy under Ratchet's gaze, but she still curled her lip in distaste.

"Thank you for retrieving her, Prowl. You're free to go," Ratchet excused him, and Prowl nodded, easily taking Emily from his shoulder.

When he set her in Ratchet's hand, she shot him a look. He gave her an apologetic smile and left the med bay.

"Put me down."

Ratchet let Emily slide from his hand to the very large berth Ratchet used for all of his procedures on any of the 'bots. As the pair continued their silent argument, their faces set in stony glowers aimed at one another, the alarms throughout the base began to wail.

Emily jumped, obviously startled, and looked toward the door as it slid open. Ironhide appeared, his cannons powering up.

"Decepticons have infiltrated the base. Prime wants Emily with someone who can get away from the fight with her to keep her safe. We need to get moving," Ironhide ordered, his optics barely glancing at Emily. He knew that just seeing her face, worried and so obviously afraid, would force him to volunteer to take her.

"Of course. I'll give her to Hot Rod. He's quick," Ratchet agreed, scooping Emily up.

Her sweatshirt, balled up on the top of Ratchet's desk, was snatched up as well as he dashed out of the med bay. Ratchet's running jarred her a bit, and she bit back any whimpers or gasps of pain. She knew that distracting any of the Autobots could cost them their lives. When Hot Rod was finally tracked down, she was dumped into his hands as he transformed the peeled out the back of the base.

_"You okay, little one?"_

Hot Rod's radio lit up as he spoke through it.

Emily, panting slightly from the surprise of being tossed into the passenger seat as Hot Rod had transformed, looked around the interior of the car.

"Yeah," she replied a little breathlessly. "I'm fine. Where are we going though?"

_"Somewhere safe. I won't say right now since the Decepticons might have a spy listening, but don't you worry. Optimus told me everything that I need to know to get you somewhere the Decepticons can't find you."_

Just as Hot Rod said this, a bat-shaped Decepticon slammed into the windshield, screeching as the glass broke. Emily screamed as tiny squares of glass showered her and she was thrown to the ground as Hot Rod transformed. She put her hands out to catch herself, the fall jarring her wrists, and she rolled with the impact. Weak with pain, Emily wasn't expecting a huge truck transforming mid-leap over her. She tried to curl up, make herself as small as possible, but as soon as the truck was standing bipedal as a Decepticon over her, she was seized off the ground and trapped in the too-tight hold of the 'bot.

Hot Rod was still on the ground and Emily screamed for him. He didn't move, but as the 'bot holding her transformed, with her inside him, and drove away, she saw his fingers twitch just slightly.

* * *

><p>"The Decepticons are pulling out," Prowl shouted, giving a last shot to Ramjet's chassis.<p>

Optimus retracted his sword and his battle mask simultaneously, walking over to Prowl. "Do we know what they were here for?"

"Prime, Hot Rod isn't answering my comms," Ratchet said, his voice unnaturally nervous.

"Jazz," Optimus called, and watched as the silver mech jogged up. "I need you to head out to the location Hot Rod was taking Emily. Ratchet is unable to contact him and Emily's much too weak to make her way back to the base. Hurry."

Jazz nodded, transforming quickly and speeding off.


	2. Chapter 2

The first thing Emily was aware of was the pounding in her head. She tried to sit up, but her arms were much too weak to support her. Collapsing back onto the cold concrete, Emily was beginning to feel the rest of her pains. The AllSpark fragment pulsed inside her causing her to whimper.

"You have done well, Motormaster. Have Swindle prep the room."

"Yes, Skywarp."

Emily jumped, gasping from the jarring pain all throughout her body, when the 'bot known as Skywarp thumped the bars of the cell she was in.

"I know you're awake, fleshling. You have something that we need to bring some very special 'bots back online. We'll take it from you whether you like it or not. Cyclonus, bring her along. We don't have much time."

She didn't have the strength to fight back, and it would have been in vain as any 'bot was stronger than a teenage human. It wasn't until she was on a cold, metal table and their backs were turned that she made her escape. Emily was sure that she broke a rib as she hit the ground, but she had to get away. She ran as fast as she could, gasping and crying, and tried to find someplace to hide. She heard shouts and heavy footfalls follow her so she ducked into the nearest space she could find. It was a ventilation unit, but it was serve its purpose as a hiding place until she could think of a way to get out.

Searching her pockets, she found her cell phone and dialed the number tied into Optimus's comm link. Just as the call was dialing, something hissed and snatched her out of the unit. Her cell phone clattered to the floor of the unit, the call failing and the home screen appearing, as she was dragged out onto the metal floor of the Decepticon base.

* * *

><p>Hot Rod was found on the brink of death and Ratchet worked through the night to save him. He was able to transfuse energon from other 'bots into his systems, helping his spark to stay online. Every Autobot and human soldier on the base was tense, worried beyond belief that their charge was in enemy hands.<p>

Optimus paced the command center, hands on hips or rubbing his chassis as the Matrix pulsed. The Matrix seemed to be linked to the AllSpark fragment inside Emily. Anytime the two were separated by more than a mile, they would both pulse and spark, seeking each other. This forced Emily and Optimus to stay close to one another. He was the only other mech Ratchet trusted to take full care of Emily.

Prowl's doorwings shifted as Optimus continued to pace, and the black and white mech turned sharply as the computer chirped.

"Sir, we've got a lead on a location for a Decepticon base. Sixty miles west of our location, I've picked up spark signals. If I could just…" Prowl trailed off as he typed a command into the computer. "Yes, I've also got a faint heat signal. Emily's there, Prime. And she's still alive by the looks of it."

"Thank you, Prowl. You did well. Round up the best soldiers we've got. These Decepticons want Emily for something and they'll do everything to keep her from us. It's already been one day. We haven't got much time." Optimus patted Prowl's shoulder before turning to leave.

"Yes, sir."

* * *

><p>Emily wasn't sure how much time had passed. Fights had broken out between the ranks of the broken up Decepticons that caused their numbers to decrease drastically. Emily had all but been forgotten about in her cell, but she was far too weak and sick to make another escape.<p>

* * *

><p><em>After the battle in Mission City, Emily hadn't felt any of the effects of the AllSpark fragment. It wouldn't be until the Autobots were being forced from Earth by the government that she felt the pain of the shard of metal. Up until Egypt, she led a normal life, save for her afternoons with the Autobots. Bumblebee stayed in her parents' garage, and when Sam was out with Mikaela without him, he was good company. She let him practice using his new voice, and would lean out her window to kiss the Autobot insignia on his forehead before she went to bed.<em>

_Although she was shy around kids her age, when she was with the Cybertronians, she was a completely different person. She would laugh and joke with the robots, following them around like they'd hung the moon. Her parents noticed this, and even tried to limit her time with the Autobots to try and get her to spend time with her friends. This plan "crashed and burned" in Emily's words, when Sam would sneak Emily out of the house to the Autobot base and her parents couldn't keep her away from the much more interesting robots._

_When the second wave of Autobots was brought to Earth, Emily had been almost stepped on and ridiculed for being "small and squishy." Even though she was willing to call out any of the original Autobots on their actions or words, the new 'bots already had her nervous. Optimus stepped up, chiding the new mechs and telling them she was an honorary Autobot for her part in their battles so far. It would soon come to the forefront of all their minds that it was because of them that she wasn't able to even sleep in a normal bedroom. She had a comfortable bed in a nice room in the base, but it was nothing like her old bedroom in her house that she was unable to stay in._

_Too many nights she limped into Medical, tears streaming down her pale face, begging Ratchet to make the pain go away. On the nights he wasn't able to help her, the pain medication only barely taking the edge off, Ratchet would turn on every space heater in the medbay and stroke one huge fingertip down Emily's aching back until she relaxed. This was how he often got her to sleep, just his presence calming her when nothing else would help._

_The human child and the Autobot CMO formed a bond that no other human or Cybertronian could understand. Optimus had the best idea since he'd found the pair in Ratchet's office one day when the pain was particularly awful. Emily was curled up in Ratchet's lap like a tiny cat, letting his warm frame and soothing touches ease away the unbearable pain. She had been embarrassed at first, sitting up quickly and wincing at the quick movement, but when Optimus was sworn to secrecy, she relaxed back against Ratchet's warm plates. Outside of her quarters and Ratchet's office, the pair was always butting heads. They had their moments when Emily couldn't stand Ratchet's overprotective personality and Ratchet was at his wit's end with Emily pushing herself too far, but they never truly hated each other. They had a strictly love-hate relationship and everyone on the base knew it._

* * *

><p>Optimus shifted, listening to the noises behind the door. Prowl had taken the other half of their squad around the other side of the building, attempting to sneak into the base without alerting the Decepticons. After a nod to Ironhide, the weapon's specialist kicked the door off its hinges, sending it soaring into the base. The noise was enough to distract the few 'bots left in the base from Prowl's squadron making their way into the base's back entrance.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Ironhide revved his engine as Emily walked past him. Letting Sam go ahead of her, Emily stopped and rested her hand as high as she could get it on his hood.<em>

_"How've you been, 'Hide?"_

_She jumped back when the black truck began to transform. She grinned up at the mech, watching as he kneeled in front of her._

_"Been fine. How 'bout you? Save the world and then have to go back to school," he teased, his rare smile appearing as Emily shifted closer to him._

_"I hate school. Don't even bring it up. I'd much rather be here with you guys. And have you met these people who think that they "trust" me and Sam?" Her hand stroked over a piece of the black metal on Ironhide's shin, peering up at the huge 'bot._

_"They're crazy," Ironhide rumbled. "Now run along before Sam thinks something's wrong. You know how he gets."_

_"Yeah," Emily laughed, rolling her eyes. "I'll see you later, 'kay?"_

_"Alright," he agreed, holding out his hand for Emily to press her palm to his in a sort of high-five._

* * *

><p>In a flurry of bullets and explosions, Prowl ducked into hallway. He scanned the base again, registering Emily's heat signal 100 yards away from his position.<p>

_Prime, Emily's closest to my location. Do you want me to try and find her?_

Another bomb exploded, and Prowl winced, tucking closer to the wall.

_Yes. Find her and get her out of here as soon as possible._

Prowl ran out into the fray, covering himself with well-placed shots. His strong legs carried him quickly down the hallway. He pivoted and shot down a Decepticon, turning down an intersecting corridor. Taking down a guard efficiently, Prowl pressed himself against the door, listening for any sounds, before shooting out the lock.


	3. Chapter 3

_Emily clambered out her window, into Jazz's waiting hand. She grinned, laughing at the absurdity of sneaking out of the house with a giant, alien robot. Sam was out with Mikaela and Bee, her parents already asleep, and she wanted some company. Jazz set her on the dewy grass, carefully stepping over the bushes to the road. Emily chased after him, jumping in his passenger seat after he transformed and opened his door._

"_Where to, darlin'?"_

"_Anywhere. Just get me out of here," Emily said, turning up the heat and settling back in the seat._

"_Can do. Sit back and enjoy the ride."_

* * *

><p>Prowl crept into the room, overriding the commands and ordering the lights on. The room was partly destroyed, pieces of metal hanging from the ceiling and missing from the walls. The lights flickered, and the bars of the large cells were dented, some missing completely. Prowl reloaded his rifle, stepping over the corpses of dead Decepticons. He hated that they'd kept Emily in this room with mutilated 'bots and absolutely no insulation. Even if the SIC had been thought to be sparkless and without emotion, he truly cared for the teenager that had greeted him with a shy, nervous smile and a tiny wave. He would never admit it to anyone, but he loved her dearly. Losing her would devastate him.<p>

The lights finally gave out and Prowl flicked on his headlights. As he turned a corner, the lights fell on the one cell that was mostly unharmed. Prowl thought his processor was going to lock up at the sight. In the two and a half days Emily had been in the hands of the Decepticons, she'd lost a startling amount of weight. She was dirty and her clothes were shredded from the rough handling. Her wavy, almost curly, hair was limp and brittle-looking. Prowl moved forward carefully, scanning her emaciated body in hopes of finding a life signal. Her heart was beating weakly, trying in vain to keep her alive, and she was breathing. Shooting out the lock, Prowl winced but Emily didn't move. He shouldered open the heavy cell door, stepping inside.

Kneeling, Prowl touched his fingertips to the tiny body. Without applying any pressure, Prowl felt the slight movement of her back as she breathed quickly. His doorwings drooped, feeling the shallow breaths she was taking. He prayed to Primus that she would survive, knowing every 'bot and human on the base would be devastated without her around.

_Prime_, Prowl commed, blinking back energon tears. _I've found her. She's unconscious and barely alive._

_Take her back to base. Quickly, Prowl. She may not have much time left. Prime, out._

Prowl, as gently as he could, gathered Emily's limp body in his hands. He snuck out of the base under the cover of his team's fire. Once outside, hidden in the shadows on the towering base, he transformed as carefully as he was able. With Emily resting on his back seat, Prowl sped off toward the Autobot base. As soon as he was a safe distance from the Decepticon base and on normal roads, he turned on his sirens and lights. Cars parted for him as he shot down the highway, leaving them all behind as quickly as possible. He pushed himself to drive faster in case it meant that Emily would wake up from her injuries. Even if it didn't, he would have tried.

* * *

><p>"<em>Does that hurt?"<em>

_Optimus turned his head to gaze out the corner of his optic at Emily as she sat on his shoulder. He smiled behind his mask._

"_Not at all. Quite the opposite, actually," he responded, his systems humming as Emily's tiny, warm hand stroked over his audio antenna._

"_Do you have sensors or nerves or something that let you feel it when I touch you?" Emily's questions were always welcome and never demanding of an answer. Optimus let them distract him from the hard decisions his team required from him. He would gladly put anything aside to answer a few of Emily's honestly curious questions._

"_They're more like sensors and less like your nerves. It's a bit more complicated to describe, but that's the simple answer," he replied, still watching her out the corner of his optic. Her eyes, a light brown, flickered over the side of his helm, studying the metal and the different parts. When his audios swiveled of their own accord, she watched them, her fingers twitching as if wanting to touch them. "You may touch my audio sensors. It won't hurt me."_

_She glanced at his face, slightly turned in her direction, and her cheeks turned pink before she reached out and brushed her fingertips over them as they turned. Whirling in response, they registered the sound of her skin sweeping over the metal. Emily smiled, and Optimus couldn't help but smile as well. He shuttered his optics for a moment, concentrating on the feeling of Emily's hand against his helm. Optimus found that he liked it, liked the attention he so rarely received, and leaned into the gentle touch. Emily giggled softly, scooting closer and placing both hands on the warm metal._

"_You would think you guys would be cold, or at least cool?" Emily's voice was fascinated, and Optimus glanced over at her to find her smiling and letting her hands soak up his warmth._

"_As our internal systems operate, they warm our frame. Much like how your blood warms your body," Optimus explained._

"_Hmm." Emily stroked her fingers down the side of Optimus's helm._

_Optimus's internal comm. system signaled an incoming message. He opened it, his attention still on the child sitting up on his shoulder and not on the orders he should have been signing off on._

Prime, do you know Emily's whereabouts? _Ratchet asked over the comm., sounding a bit irritated._

She's with me, Ratchet._ Optimus didn't want to give up his time with the teenager. It was rare that he got any time with her with all the work to be done to clean up the battle in Egypt._ Do you need her?

No. Sam's here and he was unable to find her. He asked me to help. He's in the main sector of the base.

Of course. I'll bring her out. Thank you, Ratchet.

_Optimus cut the connection and pushed back from his huge desk._

"_Where are we going?" Emily asked, holding onto the edge of a piece of metal on Optimus's shoulder. Her tone was trusting and comfortable with the Autobot leader._

"_Your brother is here for you. I apologize for not being able to spend more time with you," Optimus said, making sure his steps were even and smooth as not to jostle the child._

"_Don't apologize. Maybe, if you have time, we could go for a drive. I've always wanted to ride in a semi," Emily leaned against his helm, nudging him playfully._

_Optimus chuckled. "Of course. That sounds like a great idea, little one. I'll check the schedules."_

"_Cool. Thanks for letting me occupy your shoulder until Sam could come get me. It's much more fun than sitting at school for two hours." Emily shifted herself into Optimus's waiting hand, smiling at him._

"_It was my pleasure. It was much too cold outside to have you waiting there on your own." Optimus kneeled, letting Emily step out of his hand._

_The teenager elbows Sam in the ribs, shoving him when he says something as they walk away. Before they leave the base, Emily turns and waves excitedly at Optimus. He chuckles, lifting his hand in a less energetic departing gesture._


	4. Chapter 4

**Anyone still with me? If you are, thank you so much and please drop me a review. It helps me know what needs to be fixed, anything you'd like to see (which I could possibly work into the story if you're lucky), and things that you just really liked. I love to hear when you like a particular scene of part of the story. I don't bite, so just click the cute little button at the bottom of the page and tell me things!**

* * *

><p>Ratchet threw the syringe to the floor as the heart monitor flat-lined. He and a team of human military surgeons worked furiously for what felt like long drawn out minutes until the line jumped again. The Autobot CMO stepped back, watching the surgeons and giving them instructions at irregular intervals. He watched nervously, an emotion he wasn't very accustomed to, as the humans worked to save the one human he couldn't live without. Without any more comments or instructions to give, Ratchet paced the med bay, flexing his fingers as if wanting to put them to good use.<p>

When the heart monitor couldn't register a heartbeat for the third time that night, Ratchet called in the leader of the Autobots. Optimus was there quickly, knowing full well time was of the essence. They conversed quietly as the humans moved fast around the teenager.

"It will save her, Prime. There are consequences, but it will save her life," Ratchet urged.

"Of course. Just do it. We will deal with the consequences afterwards." Prime shifted aside his chestplates, exposing the Matrix.

In a flash of blue light, the heart monitor jumped back to life and Optimus felt that tiny heartbeat deep in his spark.

* * *

><p><em>The cold fall air whipped Emily's hair around in her face. Her tears were cool on her cheeks. She stumbled on a crack in the sidewalk, but kept on going. The Department of Health and Human Services building was getting smaller and smaller behind her. She could faintly see the lights of each sector of the base flicker on as the Autobots and NEST officials searched for her when she turned to glance back. At increasing intervals she checked behind her to make sure no familiar car was following her. So far, it had seemed they didn't know she was gone. Just as she wanted it.<em>

_A fight with Sam, in which her parents and some of her favorite Autobots sided with him, had driven her to leave the base. She knew the ways to sneak out without going past any checkpoints or guards that would stop her. Another crack in the concrete caught the toe of her shoe and she fell forward. The skin of her hands were scraped, not bleeding but stinging, as she pushed herself back up and continued on. She didn't know where she was going, anywhere but the base of those that betrayed her, and she'd be damned before she went back there without a fight._

_Just as she felt the cold seeping through her sweatshirt and jeans, the all too familiar rumble of a GMC truck pulled up behind her. She didn't turn, just kept walking, and ignored the truck. Ironhide was one of the last Autobots Emily wanted to deal with. She would have gladly taken Sideswipe or Jazz, considering they had stayed out of the argument. A louder rev of Ironhide's engine just made Emily angrier. He was obviously trying to attract her attention, but she wouldn't have it. Turning down another street, Emily broke out into a run, sucking the chilly air into her lungs. The air burned, but the quick burst of speed surprised Ironhide and it took a few seconds before he caught up with her. Darting down an intersecting street, Emily slipped into an alley and pressed herself up against the wall. She tried to breathe quietly, shifting as little as possible, and waited until the sound of Ironhide's engine faded away. It surprised her that he gave up that easily._

_Peeking out of the alley, Emily saw no sign of another Autobot and continued on her way. It wasn't long, though, before a louder, more distinct engine could be heard coming up behind her. Cursing her luck, Emily walked quicker to stave off the inevitable chastising she'd get. If her parents had had anything to do with the Autobot leader being there, then they'd make sure she'd learned her lesson for leaving the base. Her parents weren't always firm believers in "talking it out is better than yelling at your child for their mistakes." Optimus pulled past her, stopping about four yards away at the curb and popping open his passenger side door. Emily eyed him wearily, putting a large berth between herself and the semi in case he was angry._

"_I promise you that I am not angry," Optimus's voice could be heard from the cab of the truck._

_Emily slowed to a stop adjacent to his cab, hugging the wall of the building instead of moving closer to Optimus._

"_But my parents—"_

"_Your parents had nothing to do with my decision to search for you." After a moment of silence, Optimus asked, "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"_

"_I-I scraped my hands, but…they don't hurt…very much," Emily muttered, her energy draining rapidly._

"_You are shivering. Why don't you come with me, little one? I will not take you back to the base until you are ready. I give you my word."_

_Emily shuffled closer to Optimus's cab, feeling the heat rolling out of it in waves. Finding the step and the bar inside to hold onto, Emily hoisted herself into the truck's seat. The door closed, locking automatically, and Optimus pulled away from the curb. Buckling her seat belt, Emily tried to relax against the cushy seat, but found herself watching each street sign to make sure Optimus wasn't tricking her._

"_I can assure you that I am not taking your back to the base. We are three miles away. Is there anywhere you would like to go?" Optimus's voice was gentle, as always, but held a kind of protective undertone._

_Emily checked her pockets, finding a few crumpled bills. "The burger place on Wisconsin Avenue. I didn't eat any dinner."_

"_Of course."_

_The ride was mostly silent. Emily continued to shiver until the heat finally seemed to help. Optimus could feel her shift uneasily in his seats and wished there was some way he could make her feel better._

"_Do you wish to talk about the fight?"_

"_No," Emily said quietly, almost defeated._

_Optimus didn't press the subject and didn't say anything when Emily fell asleep against his door after eating. He drove for a while longer, contacting the 'bots back at base to let him know of his location and his reason for being out later. It was the least he could do for the teenager after the stressful day she'd had. There was no way Optimus was about to leave her out in the cold._

* * *

><p>It was three days before Ratchet was able to pull Emily out from her temporary coma. She was disoriented and hurting, but when she felt Optimus's presence near, she calmed and peered blearily up at the Autobot leader and the CMO.<p>

"Hello again," Ratchet said gently, adjusting the dosage of medication. "How are you feeling?"

Emily's mind was a bit fuzzy and she tried to answer, but was too weak to make much of a sound. Her eyes sought out Optimus, who was leaning against the table she rested on, and he felt her gaze. Looking down at her as she lifted a shaky, feeble hand, Optimus leaned over her and brought his face closer to hers.

"What is it, little one? What is the matter?" He asked, quieting when her hand touched his battle mask. The fingers trembled and her palm was dry, but her eyes were steady, asking a silent question.

"Why…are you wearing…your mask?" She asked in a breathy whisper.

Optimus carefully retracted the mask, keeping his face near hers. "I apologize. Are you in any pain?"

"No," she whispered, her eyes becoming unsteady as she watched him.

Ratchet worked around Optimus, understanding his need to be close to the child. Their bond was still fresh and attempting to settle. As Optimus strayed from the table, allowing Ratchet to work, Emily made a small noise of distress. Optimus was at her side immediately, murmuring to her and drawing her attention to him.

"What is it, Prime?" Ratchet stood at the other side of the berth, watching the interaction.

"Our bond was strained for a moment. It only registers as slight discomfort to my sensors, but I was able to feel that it pains Emily. Her body is not equipped to handle the burden of a bond. It's hurting her. Is there anything you are able to do to help her?" Optimus let one large fingertip rest against the top of Emily's head.

When Emily was more coherent and her mind was less foggy from the anesthesia, Ratchet and Optimus explained the bond to her. She handled it with much more maturity and understanding than they'd planned. But, then again, the teenager was always surprising them. After another dose of medication, Emily slept for two more hours. It was better for her to sleep as she healed as it sped up the process. Optimus kept a constant, ever-present vigil over her; just the closeness helped their bond to settle.

Emily's very first visitor came just as she was waking up again. Jazz grinned, taking Optimus's place as he moved to let Emily better see the Special Ops mech.

"How're ya feelin', little darlin'?" Jazz asked, his clawed hand resting near the girl.

She reached over, laying her hand on just one of his fingers, and gripped it near the tip. "A little better." Her voice was quiet, raspy from disuse. "You're my first visitor."

"'M glad tah be. Ya went through a lot, and ah wanted to make sure ya were alright." Jazz made sure not to shift his hand, watching Emily's fingers rhythmically tighten and relax on his finger. "_Are_ ya alright? Why're ya grippin' mah finger like that?"

Emily glanced up at him then down at her hand holding onto Jazz. She jerked it back like Jazz had burned her, and apologized.

"It's alright. No need to 'pologize. Ya seemed a bit nervous or upset. Somethin' botherin' ya?" Jazz leaned in closer, looking up at Optimus and Ratchet momentarily.

Emily wrung her hands in her lap. "I-I wanted to be sure you weren't…"

"Weren't what, Emily?" Optimus asked gently, moving closer to her.

Emily shook her head. "Forget it. It's nothing."

At Optimus and Jazz's worried glances, Ratchet nodded. They backed off, picking lighter and more comfortable topics. Emily was fine after that, unconsciously laying her hand on any part of Optimus if he was close enough. It grounded her as she got more comfortable with the bond. Anytime Optimus sent any pulses of comfort or affection, she would smile or visibly relax. Jazz stayed with her for close to an hour and a half, giving her familiar company that wasn't her newly bonded or the CMO. When he was forced to go back on duty, Emily waved him down and placed a kiss on the plates above his visor. Smiling, Jazz carefully crooked a finger underneath her chin fondly before leaving Medical.

* * *

><p>The following days passed excruciatingly slow. As Emily needed sleep less and less, or the idea of sleep became less appealing, she was left with nothing to do. Leaving the medical bay was out of the question as she could barely sit up without help, and only so many 'bots were off duty at any one time. Prowl, anytime he could spare, visited for both his commanding officer and the teenager.<p>

One day, Ratchet entered Emily's side room to find Prowl half-sitting on the edge of the berth, showing Emily something in the palm of his hand. When she struggled to sit forward, Prowl leaned over to support her back with his free hand. Optimus followed him in and stopped to watch Emily grin up at Prowl. The tactician's door wings lifted and fluttered a bit as he smiled back, subspacing whatever he'd been showing Emily. He stood quickly when he noticed Ratchet and Optimus, but kept his hand tucked against Emily's back until she let him take it away.

When Hot Rod came in for a once over check, Emily got very quiet and didn't even look up at him. Even when he crouched next to the berth, bringing himself closer to eye level with the human girl, she continued to avoid looking at him.

"Come on, Em. I'm not mad at you. It wasn't your fault I was hurt. Look, I'm fine now. Good as new. Don't worry about me," Hot Rod tried to soothe her, but she just let her head droop further down.

"You were trying to protect me," Emily mumbled.

"Yes, but that's my job. That's why I joined the Autobots. I wanted to protect other 'bots and, when I came to Earth, I wanted to protect the humans." Hot Rod nudged one fingertip underneath Emily's hand, watching as she flexed her fingers over the metal.

"I'm sorry." Emily finally looked at him, her brown eyes tired. She looked much older than her mere fifteen years right then.

"No, don't apologize. I should apologize to you—" Hot Rod nudged her with a finger when she started to say something. "—but since I know you won't let me, we'll have to compromise. Neither of us is at fault, and we can move on. Still friends?"

"Yeah," Emily said, giving him a small, slightly shaky smile. "Still friends."

She waved to Hot Rod as he left, sitting back and sighing heavily. Ratchet watched her from the doorway. He saw how heavily the kidnapping weighed on her and knew he had to do something to help her.


	5. Chapter 5

**I have decided to make Mirage and Dino two different 'bots. Dino will be the red, Spanish 'bot from Dark of the Moon. Mirage will be based off of the blue and white 'bot from G1. I also went back and changed Mirage's name to Dino in Chapter 1.**

* * *

><p>Bumblebee twittered, his door wings lifting happily, when Sam came into the base. After a reaming out over the phone from his mother, and then Ratchet, Sam had made his way to visit his sister. He'd neglected to check on her for almost a month. His answering machine breaking down lengthening the time he'd spent away. He never got the messages from Lennox, the Autobot leader, and the pleading one from Emily. As Sam made his way to Medical, the yellow scout followed after him in case Ratchet decided to throw things.<p>

Sam wasn't expecting to find Emily using Optimus's shin as a place to hold herself up as she kissed his battle mask. Optimus steadied her with a hand against her back, minding her injuries. When Emily saw Sam, her smile diminished and she gripped Optimus's shin plating tighter. Ratchet, ever present and at the large table of tools and equipment, made a small sound as if reminding her of something.

"Look, Em, I'm sorry," Sam began, but Emily didn't let him continue.

"I don't have anything to say to you," Emily spat, releasing her hold on Optimus and stepping back.

"Can I at least explain?" Sam asked as Optimus sidestepped Emily, keeping a close distance to her but letting her face Sam herself.

"Go ahead then. Explain, Sam. Why have I been here all by myself when you promised to visit me _at least_ once a week? You kept it up for about three weeks, even coming twice one week, but a _month_? Sam, I was kidnapped by the Decepticons and we couldn't even reach you on your phone! It's one thing to be left in Washington D.C. by your parents in the care of your idiot brother and alien robots, but I thought I could trust you not to abandon me to the Autobots. You know who I thought my first visitor would be? You. Was it? No, it was Jazz. It's been five days since I first woke up. So go on, Sam, explain yourself." Emily crossed her arms, hiding any pain she felt with practiced ease.

Any excuse Sam had come up with on the way over died on his tongue and he stared at his sister. There was nothing he could say, but he wanted more than anything to have his little sister back.

"I'm sorry, Emily. I truly am. Work has kicked my ass lately and our answering machine broke. My cell phone was lost in Chicago and I haven't replaced it yet. Emmy, I can't even begin to explain how sorry I am for not visiting you. Please, just believe me. Let me make it up to you. I don't want to lose you."

Sam watched as Emily's resolve wavered. He could see straight through the façade she wore around the Autobots. As she stumbled forward to him, her eyes filling with tears, Sam saw Optimus shift towards her but he beat him to it. Sam wrapped her in his arms, holding her as she cried. All the pent up anger, pain, and loneliness released at once, spilling through her bond with Optimus and into a more human form of discharge.

* * *

><p>Once she made up with her brother, Ratchet and Optimus thought it best for Emily to spend a few days with Sam and Carly in their apartment to be around things more her size while she recovered. Ratchet sent Jazz with her considering he was one of the smallest Autobots and Bumblebee was away on a mission. Emily spent most of her time on their couch, still sore and lacking energy. While Carly and Sam worked during the day, Jazz was her only company. He watched over her while she slept, played music for her, and let her watch anything she wanted without complaint.<p>

It was the middle of the night when Emily woke in pain to a quite apartment. Jazz was recharging in his alt mode, the only way there would be space for him. She turned on the TV, making sure the volume was very low, and tried to fall back to sleep. Having taken the maximum dosage of pain medication already, she couldn't risk taking any more just to fall asleep. It wasn't until the early morning that Emily began feeling tired.

Jazz, completely recharged, transformed as quietly as possible only to find Emily staring up at him from the couch.

"Why're ya awake, darlin'?" He asked, setting his hand underneath hers when she reached for him.

"I'm in pain, but I already took as much medicine as I'm allowed to in one day," she mumbled, blinking slowly.

Jazz carefully pushed the coffee table away from the couch, settling in its place and let Emily keep her hold on him. She turned onto her side, her hands curling around the circumference of Jazz's finger. "Ya might be cold, sweetheart," he said as he pulled her blanket up over her shoulders.

She made a noise of assent and watched as Jazz overrode the television, turning it off. Closing her eyes, the room was suddenly filled with soft music. Jazz hummed along to it, gently pushing Emily's hair out of her face.

"Go to sleep, baby. I'll watch over ya," Jazz murmured, watching as Emily fully relaxed and her breathing grew deeper and more even.

* * *

><p>Yet another group of refugee Autobots arrived during a painstakingly slow stitch removal. Emily whimpered and winced, trying not to jerk her leg away from Ratchet. When a red and yellow 'bot strode into Medical, followed by five other 'bots, Ratchet looked up but immediately turned his back to them.<p>

"If you haven't already noticed, Blaster, I'm busy. Say hi to Emily. She's the resident human in this place. And be _nice_. I know how you can get sometimes," Ratchet warned, and Emily gave a tiny, halfhearted wave.

"Hiya, Emily. Name's Blaster. How'd ya get stuck in this place anyway? 'S not the best place for a squishy human like you with all these 'bots runnin' around." Blaster put his hands on his silver hips, eyeing Emily a bit skeptically.

A large red, white, and blue mech stepped forward, intercepting Blaster. "Prime told me everything, Blaster. There's no reason to be like that." He looked at Emily, who looked a bit startled. "My name is Ultra Magnus. I worked with Optimus back on Cybertron."

As Ultra Magnus explained to other five about Emily's predicament, the teenager yelped when Ratchet accidentally nicked her leg.

"I apologize. Two more stitches and we're done, I promise," Ratchet soothed her, snipping through them quickly. "There. Now you're free to go, but don't move around too much. If these open up again, come see me."

"Never woulda thought Ratch would be nice to one of his patients. Everything's different on this planet," Blaster grumbled, receiving a wrench to the helm.

Emily giggled as Ratchet bent to pick up the wrench.

"She's the only one, so you better not get used to it. I have an unlimited supply of wrenches here, and my aim has gotten much more accurate. Don't get too cocky, and watch your mouth around her. If I hear anything about you saying something rude or disrespectful to Emily, very bad things will happen. Got that?"

"Yes, sir."

Ratchet helped Emily stand, and she shook out her pants so the leg fell back over her shin. "Alright, who're the rest of these new arrivals?"

* * *

><p>The still night air was pierced suddenly with a shrill cry. Optimus's systems immediately booted up as he sat up on his recharge berth. Hitting the pad on the wall for the lights in his quarters, he looked over to find Emily curled in on herself in her bed. Swinging his legs over his berth, he stood and kneeled at her side. She was breathing heavily, and Optimus could feel the way her heart pounded in her chest.<p>

"Was it another nightmare?" Optimus asked gently, letting his fingertips rest against her back.

Emily nodded, sucking in desperate breaths. Every inch of her body hurt, and she reached for the pill bottle on her bedside table. With shaking hands, she got the bottle open and took one of pills with her bottled water. She didn't protest when Optimus gathered her and her fuzzy blue blanket into his hands, moving back to his berth. Situating her gently on his chest plates, Optimus stroked one fingertip down her back as she began to relax. The warmth of his plates and his presence alone put her back to sleep quickly.

Her nightmares had appeared shortly after she came back to stay in the base. They were frequent and often disturbing. Optimus was usually awake as soon as one got particularly bad as he felt the disturbance through their bond.

It was more early than late when Emily woke again. She jerked, startling Optimus out of recharge once more. Shivering and gasping weakly, Emily refused to sleep again. Optimus sat up, cradling her in his hands against his chest.

"Let's take a walk," he suggested, urging Emily carefully onto his shoulder.

She leaned against the smoke stack on Optimus's shoulder, hugging her blanket around her shoulders. The only 'bots on night duty were Ironhide and Dino. They both turned when Optimus put in his security code and the door whooshed open. Ironhide moved forward almost instantly, and Emily let him take her from Optimus's shoulder. Ironhide's chassis was warmer than Optimus's since the leader had been recharging and not up working. The weapon's specialist settled in a chair in front of the computer, cupping his hands around Emily as she cuddled up against his chest. Optimus leaned against the back of Ironhide's chair.

"Is there anything going on?" Optimus asked, urging Emily to sleep over their bond.

"Nothing," Ironhide grunted, kicking on his cooling fans as he felt Emily's temperature rise. "Is it another nightmare that's keepin' you up?"

"Yeah," Emily sighed, splaying her fingers over the grill on Ironhide's chest. "But I don't wanna sleep anymore."

"Mmmm." Ironhide shifted in his chair, looking over his shoulder at Optimus. "Head back to your quarters, Optimus. I'll look after Emily until everyone's up for the shift and she can hang with Jazz for the day. Your shift doesn't start for another three hours. Get some more recharge."

Emily wriggled out of her blanket, finding the familiar handholds on Ironhide's chassis to climb to his shoulder. Sitting facing towards Optimus, she peered up at him. "He's right. I'll be fine. Besides, it's not like you won't know if something happens. I can always sleep later, but you can't. Go on."

Optimus smiled at the teenager, leaning down for her to kiss his cheek plate. "I'll come by to see you around shift change, love. Don't do too much."

Nodding, Emily stroked her hand down Optimus's face and smiled back. She watched him go, his broad shoulders seeming to sag slightly under his stresses and lack of recharge. When Ironhide snatched her off his shoulder, draping her blanket back over her and situating her against his chest again, she went willingly. She was tired, but sleep seemed very unappealing and slightly scary at the moment. Instead of sleeping, Emily let Ironhide stroke a fingertip over her back and listened to his and Dino's conversations. Against her will, her eyelids began to get heavier and she eventually slipped back to sleep with Ironhide's systems humming familiarly around her.


	6. Chapter 6

A skirmish with one of the last remaining Decepticons left Optimus badly injured. As the Decepticons's sword punctured Optimus's left hip joint, Emily, back at the base, howled in agony. She collapsed in the Autobots's rec room, gasping and screaming. Prowl, the Autobot closest to Emily, scooped her up and raced her to Medical, three 'bots following after him. Ratchet was patching up Bluestreak's arm when Prowl burst in. Immediately switching from Autobot to human medical officer, Ratchet began shouting orders.

Ultra Magnus killed the nameless Decepticon quickly and without mercy. Optimus knelt on the ground, his intakes wheezing as they struggled to pull in air. He favored his left leg when Ultra Magnus helped him up, but let himself be lead back to base.

Emily, her voice raw and overused, whimpered as another jolt of pain ricocheted throughout her body. Jazz, having come back from a mission to hear one of Emily's piercing screams, let one of his hands rest over Emily as if to protect her.

"Shhh, yu'll be alright, sweetheart. 'M here. Yer okay," Jazz crooned, carefully pushing Emily's hair out of her face.

"Incoming, Ratchet! Ultra Magnus is here with Prime," Prowl called in from the hall.

In a commotion rivaling that of a Decepticon attack, Ultra Magnus practically dragged their leader into Medical. Jazz was trying to comfort Emily, as well as keep her on the table when a particularly sharp pain lanced through her nervous system. Emily jerked her back off the table, crying out and gripping Jazz's hand. Tears streamed down her cheeks, dripping onto the cool metal of the berth. Optimus, upon hearing Emily's cries, tried to struggle against Ultra Magnus and Ratchet. They pressed him onto the neighboring berth, Ratchet snapping at him to stay put. But something drove Optimus to sit up, reaching over to touch his fingertip to Emily's back. His hand was shaking, but the simple touch seemed to soothe the teenager slightly. When Ratchet forced him back onto the berth, jarring his hip, Emily yelped weakly.

"Please," Optimus rasped, "you're hurting her. Ratchet, turn off my pain receptors. If I can't feel anything, it won't translate over our bond. She won't feel it."

Ratchet prodded the back of Optimus's neck, feeling for the release that would turn off the prime's pain receptors. Both Optimus and Emily sagged against their berths when the release was pressed. Emily, sniffling and breathing raggedly, peered at Jazz tiredly. She was sweaty, exhausted, and tender to the touch after the fiasco she'd just been through. Jazz spoke quietly to her, administering another dose of pain medication at Ratchet's go-ahead, until Emily fell into a fitful sleep.

…

"You are supposed to be resting, Prime," Ratchet admonished the leader as Optimus leaned over Emily as she slept.

"I apologize. She seemed distressed, but calmed when I moved closer." Optimus glanced at Ratchet thoughtfully. "It is as if I am unable to deny being close to her. I cannot be away from her for extended periods of time and something compels me to go to her anytime I am away. Just seeing her, I feel something in my spark that I can't explain. Like I would do anything for her. Anything she asked of me."

"How do you see your relationship growing?" Ratchet asked, adjusting both Prime and Emily's pain medication.

"I will not be anything she does not want me to be. Being a lover to her would be much too complicated unless she wished for it. She will set the tone for our bond. I do not want to pressure her into anything she is uncomfortable with," Optimus ghosted a fingertip down Emily's spine, watching as she subconsciously arched her back into his touch.

"You two seem to be working things out just fine. She tries her best to help and take care of you while you make it your job to protect her from anything. The relationship you have with her is that of a father and child from what I've seen. That may be just what she needs right now without her parents. She seems much happier since she recovered and you're always there for her. She finally has someone she can rely on."

* * *

><p><em>Sentinel Prime kneeled near Optimus's feet, peering down at the small human tucked close to Optimus's leg. Ironhide gave Optimus a slightly worried look, unsure how their former leader would react to the child being so close to all of them.<em>

"_What is your name, small one?" Sentinel asked._

"_Emily," she offered hesitantly, pressing closer to Optimus._

"_Emily has been staying with us. After our first battle on Earth, a fragment of the AllSpark was embedded inside her after she made contact with it. It is painful to her on occasions. Ratchet is caring for her at the moment," Optimus told his mentor, glancing down at Emily as she eased away from Sentinel. "He will not harm you, Emily. Sentinel was our leader before me."_

_Emily looked all the way up at Optimus, nodding slightly. She gave Sentinel a tentative smile. He wasn't as unnerving when he smiled back._

…

_The new medical officer was outside the base, helping the team unload supplies for the medical bay. Emily was left alone in Medical to wait for her pain medication to begin working. A sudden explosion made Emily sit up and put her book down. Finding the familiar handholds and rungs on the ladder at the head of the berth, Emily made her way towards the door. As the door slid open, something exploded and Emily was thrown backwards. Sentinel Prime looked over at her, snarling as Emily sat up and pushed her hair out of her face._

"_Sentinel? What are you doing?" Emily asked innocently, approaching him cautiously._

"_It is none of your concern, small one," he responded._

_Emily watched the former Autobot leader nervously. "You already took the pillars."_

"_Very good observation, child," Sentinel purred. "But I am here for something I so foolishly left behind."_

_The red and silver mech leaned down close to Emily, who tried to skitter backwards only to find the wall behind her._

"_With the Autobots out of the picture, there is no one to stop me from taking one of the Cybertronians' greatest assets." Sentinel snatched Emily up, fleeing the base without any difficulty._

…

_Trapped up the roof of the domed building, Emily tried to come to terms with the fact that she may not make it back to Washington D.C. Sentinel didn't let Megatron touch her, protecting her in a twisted sort of way. Peering over the edge of the roof, Emily felt her equilibrium protest and she pressed back against the wall._

The chances of an Autobot being in this city and knowing where I am are slim. They wouldn't know I jumped until they found me… _Emily's thoughts were turning morbid considering she was in the possession of the Decepticons. Sam would undoubtedly come for Carly, but did he even know his sister had been taken as well?_

"_Child, come away from there. It would do no one any good if you fell from this height. It is almost time to begin the transport and you should be witness to history being made," Sentinel said, beckoning Emily closer to him. He allowed her to take hold of the edges of his armor, knowing it kept her steady on the tall building._

I can't believe I trusted him. So many times I sat with him and listened as he told me stories of Cybertron. I guess this is what trust got me._ Emily was trembling, but held tightly to the red and silver metal on Sentinel's leg._

_The red pillar flashed, shifting its pieces and activating the other pillars. Emily watched as another planet, much larger and more complex than Earth, slowly appeared in the sky. She flinched when another building collapsed, watching it crumble and fall into itself. That building symbolized her world in that moment; everything she knew was falling away and leaving nothing but dust and rubble in its wake._

…

_With Megatron somewhere in the city and Sentinel battling with Optimus, Emily was trapped on the roof of the building, clinging to the bricks as the city fell apart beneath her. Without her captors around to see, Emily cried freely. She recognized Bumblebee, Sideswipe, and Ratchet beneath her, but knew that yelling would be of no use. As she shifted slightly against the wall, a loose brick fell free of its place and hurtled toward the ground. Instead of hitting the asphalt below, the brick clipped Bumblebee's shoulder and he looked up to follow its path. His optics widened slightly as he locked onto Emily on the roof._

"_Look!" He forced out, the noise painful to his vocal processor._

_Ratchet and Sideswipe swiveled around and followed Bumblebee's line of sight. They weren't able to respond before Bumblebee was scaling the neighboring building. Jumping between the walls, Bumblebee knew he didn't have much time before the building would collapse. With each handhold and every push from his feet, he took down more of the bricks and weakened the infrastructure. Emily almost lost her hold on the wall when the building shuddered, her shoes slipping along the smooth roof._

_Bumblebee pulled himself onto the roof of the building alongside the domed one. He launched himself at Emily as the building she stood on began to crumble beneath her. She screamed as she began to fall, trying valiantly to grab anything to keep herself upright. Bumblebee cupped his hands around her as he caught her, preparing for anything as he used the building to the domed one's right to slow himself down. Tucking himself into a roll as he hit the ground, Bumblebee held Emily tightly to his chest. He twittered and chirped soothingly at her as he stood, holding her close._

_Letting her down on the bridge, Emily swayed a bit and grabbed a hold of Bumblebee's leg for support. Then she was suddenly swept up into her brother's arms and she held him tightly as her tears made another appearance._

"_I thought I'd lost you," Sam whispered, tightening his arms around his little sister. "I never want to lose you."_

* * *

><p>Carly came to the base to visit Emily on one of her more difficult days. She'd woken up with a migraine and could still feel the way Optimus's hip pained him. The AllSpark fragment made itself know shortly after she'd brushed her teeth, stealing her breath away quickly. Carly brought several bags with her and made short work of finding her way to Emily's quarters.<p>

"Do you feel up to a visitor?" She asked gently as the door slid open to her visitor code.

Emily, curled up in her human-sized bed, looked over at her and smiled tiredly. "Sure. But I can't guarantee I'll be very fun."

"No problem. I just thought you might like to spend some time with someone who's actually your species." Carly walked in, setting her bags down next to Emily's bed. She sat down on the foot of the bed. "How've you been?"

"Fine. Today's been rough already, though. How're you and Sam?" Emily sat up slowly, feeling pain radiate out of every nerve.

"We're good. Everything's back to normal, thank God." Carly smiled at Emily, who gave a shaky smile back.

"What did you bring?" Emily asked, letting her shoulders slump.

Carly brought out a bag of greasy burgers, laughing when Emily seemed to perk up. "Sam told me you love these hamburgers so I thought I'd bring you some lunch."

As Emily ate, Carly organized her other bags. "I brought you some new toiletries, since you said something last week about being out of some things. I also went shopping the other day and picked up a few things for you."

After Emily took a long shower, Carly blew her hair dry and curled it. Raking her fingers through it, the curls loosened up and lay almost perfectly. Then, laying out a new pair of sweatpants and a cute pink T-shirt, Carly dug into another bag to pull out a matching bra and underwear set.

"I remembered your size from the last time I took you shopping, and I thought you might like to have a really nice bra. I know it might not be practical since you spend so much time around the Autobots, but it's always nice to have something like this." Carly let Emily take them from her, and Emily grinned.

"Thank you, Carly. This means…so much to me," Emily said, hugging Carly excitedly.

Emily changed into her new underwear and bra, also pulling on the sweatpants and T-shirt. Slipping on her canvas shoes, Emily decided she felt better than she had that morning and wanted to walk Carly out.

"Anytime you want to hang out or you need something, don't hesitate to call me. Will you come stay with Sam and me for Thanksgiving? We'd love to have you over," Carly suggested, putting her things in the back of her new car.

"I guess I'll have to. I don't think any of the Autobots know exactly what Thanksgiving is and its significance and all." Emily smiled though, because she couldn't live without the Autobots. Although living with beings not of your universe proved difficult at times, she wouldn't trade them for the world.


End file.
